TVF: Banana Wrappers
by roxypony
Summary: Darren and Arrow's double-date with their ladies is more than meets the eye. A birthday gift for my favourite - you know who you are!


This is for you, StayBeautiful1!

I decided to post this today because I didn't know if I'd have time tomorrow which is your legit Bdaay.

& Because we never got to write our Valentines Day collab since life kept getting in the way, but I always knew I'd pull something out for your special day so I decided to sorta combine the two :)

You are my best best friend, closer to me than my real people, and truly long-lost my twin sister. You're there for me 24/7 whether through the keys of my phone or the computer screen, you have my back in every part of my life and you keep me sane! We talk about everything, from boys to shoes to ff to cars and we regularly send novel-length messages to each other, sober or not. BEST TIMES OF MY LIFE :)

Happy 17th, sister! Love you FOREVER!

-I don't own DSS or anything else that gets mentioned. And you should know the deal on Ronnie and Kade by now!-

* * *

"DARREN! DARREN! DARRENDARRENDARREN!"

The named leaped up so suddenly his head whacked the lamp under which he'd been reading. Sparks flew, something made an electric crackly noise, and a tiny bit of smoke rose from his scalp but all in all it was nothing serious.

"Charna's tits. What the hell do you want?" Darren groaned, turning his spinny-chair to face Arrow who had just barged into his room.

Darren immediately felt terribly suspicious due to Arrow's humungous smile than spanned his entire face. This could NOT be good.

"Guess what I got." said the bald Prince, maintaining his all-too-delighted expression. He was apparently unable to contain his excitement long enough to wait for Darren to answer, and bellowed "RESERVATIONS!"

Darren blinked. Then screamed.

"NO GODDAMMIT NO! NO MORE VACATIONS! I MEAN IT! YOU GUYS HAVE LOST ALL YOUR VACATION PRIVELEGES. YOU NEVER SHOULD HAVE ANY IN THE FIRST PLACE!"

Arrow also blinked. Then blinked a couple more times.

"Woah, Dar. No need to go into labour, I don't mean airline reservations."

"Stop screwing with my head." Darren whined. "Ronn's getting here in an hour, I'm brushing up on mushy poetry. Paris lent me this book, he said all I have to do is memorize this shit and she'll be all over me."

Arrow glanced at the book and shoved it off Darren's desk, where it flopped unimpressively onto the floor.

"RETARD. Paris is gonna kill me if this thing breaks!" Darren grumbled, picking it up and searching for signs of damage.

"Sure, you can do a half-assed Shakespeare impression and she can laugh you out of the room, or we can take the ladies out to Le Petit Hfkdhdj...where we just happen to have reservations for tonight." Arrow replied primly.

"Le Petit Hjfgjvhg? That's all the way at the fricking ski resort!" Darren wailed. "You said no travelling- WAIT. You mean to tell me...that you...ARROW...made PLANS...for VALENTINE'S DAY...all by YOURSELF?"

"Not the one in the Ski place. There's a chain of them, all over the world. We're going to the close one. And yes, it was entirely my idea."

"Are you sure?"

"YES!"

"Who helped you?"

"No one!"

"Was it Harkat?"

"No."

"Mr. Crepsley?"

"Noo."

"Must be Kurda."

"NOOO!"

"Well I know it wasn't Mika or Seba, so that leaves Paris. You know what an old romantic he is!"

"He just helped with the phone stuff." Arrow grunted. "I thought of it all by myself."

Darren arched an eyebrow.

"Welll... Paris gave me a hint." Arrow mumbled.

Darren arched the other eyebrow.

"Okay, so Paris booked the whole thing on his own and I only found out 5 minutes ago, happy?" the bald Prince shot out. "At least we have PLANS. Other than relying on crackhead poetry, y'know?"

"Are you sure it'll be special though? It's Ronnie's birthday celebration too." Darren snivelled, turning his big, sad eyes on his friend.

"Hell yeah!" Arrow boomed delightedly. "Just us, the girls, and mounds upon mounds of steak, ribs, burgers, pizza, chocolate milk, and non-cheap after-dinner mints! I can't think of anything more perfect." he trailed off hungrily, licking his lips.

Darren perked up slightly.

"Yeah...I mean, chicks love Valentine's Day, right?"

"No doubt. This is foolproof. Here's the plan..."

###

"I HATE Valentine's Day. Legit, hate hate hate it so much." Ronnie snapped furiously as she flicked through every radio station trying to find a non-sappy song.

"I know." Kayden sighed, flexing the grip on the steering wheel of the pink Chevrolet Silverado 2500. "Remember what Seba said? It's a scam invented by the greeting-card companies."

"Seba has never been more right." Ronnie spat, rolling her window down and allowing the chilly mountain air to flow through the vehicle, whipping through their hair. "How much longer?"

"Like, half an hour at the most." Kade replied, squinting through the driving snow. "For being in a blizzard, we're making unreal time."

"Do you think he remembered?" Ronnie wondered out loud, raking her hand through her long blonde locks.

"Who remembered what?" Kade mumbled, even though she knew exactly who and what. She was thinking the same thing, while trying to keep on the right side of the road. No easy task.

"You know..." Ronnie pressed.

"V-Day? Of course!" Kade said loudly. "I mean, they're glued to the media these days. Any excuse to eat those cinnamon hearts, they'll take it. Plus, Kurda remembers these things. Valentine's Day is his official holiday."

_No, not Valentine's. The other thing._ Ronnie thought, slightly preturbed. But no way was she going to mention it. Then everyone would feel bad and she'd feel needy and... no. Best not to go down that road. If someone remembered, great. If not, someone would remember next year...

"WOOOAH." Kade roared, cranking on the steering wheel at the last second as they whipped onto a road that was barely a road, more or less a gravelly trail. "As if we're this close already. Um, Ronn. Is this spedometer in MPH or KPH?"

"The American one. MPH." Ronnie supplied.

Kade let out a cackle of laughter. "Here I was thinking I was going about half as fast as I was actually going. I love you Americans. If I was doing 130 mph, what's that in kph?"

"No idea." Ronn replied.

But Kade had no time to investigate her gravelly tone, because they'd just pulled up at Vampire Mountain.

###

"RONNIE AND KADEY OMG I MISSED YOU SO MUCH WHERE DID YOU GET YOUR HAT AND YOUR COAT AND YOUR BOOTS AND OMG WE GOTTA GO SHOPPING LIKE NOW!" Kurda gushed as he prepared to scamper outside to meet them.

"Oh hey Kurdie!" Ronnie grinned, already feeling better now that they were back to where they belonged...Vampire Mountain! She couldn't wait to lie down on the couch with the boys and watch some truly retarded movies, laugh, throw popcorn at Seba, do manicures with Kurda, the usual brand of Vampire Mountain fun.

"Darren." she gasped blissfully.

"Imissedyousomuch." he breathed, then he scooped her up in his arms and they held together for a long perfect minute, snow falling gently and melting imperceptibly on their bodies, as several yards away Arrow picked Kade up and turned her upside down, joking about how impossibly light she was.

"Are you KIDDING?" Kade bitched. "Do you know how many BURGERS I had on the way here? I'm a freaking cow! And you love it." she finalized with a grin as he flipped her back upright and they shared a hug that was far more tender than the pro wrestling-style flip move they'd just performed.

"Kay guys, I hope you have some really hardcore hot chocolate, cuz our supply has vanished completely. We've been drinking it nonstop on the way here." Ronnie informed the crew as she and Darren broke apart. "And what dumbass movie are we watching first?"

Darren opened his mouth like a drowning fish.

"Ack-actually-y..."

"We're going out." Arrow supplied.

"Out?" Ronnie spat back, although the word had a bad taste.

"Out!" Kade agreed happily.

"Just the four of us!" Darren found his voice.

"Aww, guys that's so sweet, but I'm not really in the mood for-" Ronn began.

"Yeah you are." Kade cut across impatiently.

"You knew about this!" Ronnie groaned.

"I had absolutely no clue." Kade replied perkily. Too perkily.

"Byyyyye girls!" Kurda called happily with a huge wave as Darren and Arrow herded their ladies over to Arrow's Hummer H2t.

"Have a marvellous night." Paris added with a sparkle in his eyes.

"BEHAVE. DARREN, THIS MEANS YOU." Larten bellowed.

"I will...keep in touch." Harkat contributed sternly, holding up his cell phone.

"Bros before...umm...nice ladies!" Mika called.

"WEAR ONE OF THOSE BANANA-WRAPPERS. AVOID ABOMINATIONS AT ALL COSTS." Seba demanded.

"HE MEANS CONDOMS." Mika roared, just to clarify.

"Oh gaawd." Darren groaned, ripping open the back door and practically throwing Ronnie inside before leaping in himself.

"Thanks for the advice, fellas." Arrow smirked as he got comfortable behind the wheel. Kade pulled her hood up around her ears and snuggled comfortably in the passenger seat while Ronnie and Darren huddled in the back.

The engine roared, the wheels spun, gravel flew, Arrow cranked the wheel, Kade yelled "YEEHAW!", Darren's head bumped against the window, and Ronnie took that as a perfect excuse to kiss his forehead.

###

The ride was bliss, so unlike the wild convoy in which they'd journeyed at Christmas. Arrow plugged in the iPod, Ronnie sang along with a few songs, and Kade hummed background music.

"You two should be your own band!" Darren gasped in awe.

"Or Ronnie can be the band...I can't carry a tune to save my life so I'll be the manager who gets to drive the tour bus, and you can be the groupie, Darren." Kade stated.

"What about me?" Arrow added.

"Ummm...actually you can drive the tour bus." Kade edited. "I'll...be in charge of finances. I'll make sure the money gets spent on all the right stuff."

"Like an unlimited supply of beef jerky." Arrow chuckled.

"That, and boots." Kade concluded happily.

"All I want is a different guitar for every day of the year, and a 24/7 Sushi bar built into my house." Ronnie added with an impish smile. "Not to mention the boots. And jewellery!"

"You ARE aware Sushi is raw fish, right?" Kade noted blatantly, as she tended to do.

"Really Kadey, I had no idea."

"SUSHI IS RAW FISH?" Arrow gasped in shock, almost going off the road. "Paris made me eat one last week...he told me it was beef jerky wrapped in icing!"

"You'd eat beef jerky wrapped in icing? Holy shit. I'd rather take the Sushi." Kade snorted.

"But you love beef jerky!" Arrow whined. "And I've seen you demolish tubes of icing!"

"Not together, dumbass. Good Lord. What goes through your mind?"

Kade and Arrow continued their banter, occasionally humoured by Darren. Ronnie fell into a thoughtful silence, staring out at the snowflakes zipping past the window.

_Did they really not remember?_

###

"Welcome to Le Petit Hfhfgnkj." said Darren in a fake fancy accent when they stepped into the building.

"Was that supposed to be French or Itallian or Korean or what?" Kade inquired, completely appalled.

"Let's just get our seats." Arrow ordered, plowing through the crowd up to the front desk. "Hey buddy, we have reservations under...CRAP. DARREN, what are our reservations under?"

"Umm, Paris made them, right?"

"Yeah, try Skyle."

"Vee have no rezervashuns under zat name."

"Try Paris."

"No."

"Uhm...Shan?"

"No."

"Arrow?"

"No."

"Vampire Mountain?"

"Ermm...no."

"ArrowKadeDarrenRonnie?"

"No..."

"Look, buddy. You must remember the really old guy that called about dinner reservations for...um, 4. I was there watching him, you know, the guy who had a 20-minute conversation about the paper factories that make your menus?"

"Ahhh!" the manager grinned delightedly. "You have rezervashuns under zee name, 'Abominazion!'"

"Why didn't I think of that..." Darren muttered as the little gang stalked to their table, a booth in the back corner. Then he jumped several feet into the air as a cluster of pink and white balloons popped loudly behind him.

"Woops. Fingernail slipped." Ronnie noted dryly.

Arrow reached hopefully towards another group of balloons, but Kade slapped his hand away.

"No popping. Sit."

They sat, in a nice semicircular booth. Darren and Arrow on the edges, Ronnie and Kade on the inside.

"Can I breeng you some dreenks?" asked their waiter who looked a lot like Mr. Frog from the bar Darren visited alone in Florida.

"Chocolate milk!" Darren demanded.

Ronnie arched her eyebrows.

"I mean...uhhmm...I'll have what he's having." Darren muttered, pointing at Arrow.

"Bud light. With LIME." Arrow ordered.

"Blue raspberry martini." Ronnie requested sweetly.

"Cherry one of those." Kade concluded.

###

"To getting out of the Mountain and away from Vampires talking about banana wrappers." Arrow toasted when the drinks arrived.

"To the new suspension system with the black diamond snow tires on the Hummer." Kade breathed blissfully.

"To us, being together." said Ronnie with a true smile. Sure it was cheesy, but it was all she wanted out of this stupid holiday... time to hang out with her V-family. Particularly Darren. Sure she would have killed to get out of this fancy restaurant surrounded by morons staring across the tables into their lovers' eyes, and just goback to the Mountain, change into her new turquoise fuzzy pajamas (Kade had identical ones in red...and they'd each bought the matching set of boxers for their boys) and just...chill.

Now it was Darren's turn to toast. He was staring at her with a searching expression. Surely this was it, the moment he'd been waiting for. He'd remembered all along, she knew it! Maybe he'd even pull out a ring or something...she shivered in anticipation.

"To NOT babysitting 6 adults for one night in my life!" Darren toasted, raising his glass high.

Ronnie's heart flatlined. That was SO not what she'd had in mind.

"Can I get for you zee appetizairs?" the waiter inquired as he waddled back to their table.

"Extra-large steak and a rack of ribs. Keep the Bud coming." Arrow ordered.

"Steak and ribs are not on zee appetizair menu." the waiter informed him.

"Listen here, buddy. I just happen to be a-"

Kade clamped her hand over Arrow's mouth before he could utter "- Vampire Prince and I could get your ass dropped on the stakes in no time flat."

"I think we'll just skip the appetizers and go straight to the main stuff." she said sweetly. "Better just get him his steak 'n' ribs. I'll have a medium pizza with bacon, sausage, and pepperoni. AND NO CHEESE. God help you if I find cheese. That will be all."

"She's being serious. I've seen her kick someone who told her she should start eating cheese." Ronnie smirked.

The waiter looked dumbstruck.

"And I'll have the deluxe plate of assorted Sushi." she finalized. Now Darren's turn. Maybe he'd be exra-extra romantic and order a Sushi plate. Not because he liked it, but because she did. She turned her megawatt-blue eyes on the handsome boy to the left of her.

"I'll have..." he darted his beautiful eyes down to the menu one more time. His eyes lit up. "...a hot dog! With ALL the toppings!"

Ronnie facepalmed. Which she cleverly disguised as pushing her hair up out of her eyes.

"Very vell." said the waiter. "I shall be right back vis your meat, pizza, sushi, and hot dog."

###

The dinner was... interesting. Darren kept looking around twitchily, expecting to see Seba running amok, Kurda chatting up waitresses, Mika throwing dishes into brick walls, Paris analyzing menus, Larten watching Darren with binoculars, Harkat stealing crayons, etc. He kept forgetting he was on a date rather than a mission.

Kade flirted with Arrow as per usual, but when the meals arrived they almost seemed more interested in scarfing it down than conversing with each other. Ronnie personally thought this was refreshing - most girls would casually pick at a salad while leaning heavily upon their date's arm, but Kade and Arrow separeted off into their own little worlds until their dishes had been fully cleaned. Then she glanced casually over at him before gently pillowing her head against his shoulder and lifting her feet up onto the seat.

Ronnie had to admit...the Sushi here was out of this world. Sure, no one remembered the most important day of her life, but who cared. She had all the Sushi she could ever want, plus more. And she'd even coaxed/bribed/blackmailed Kade into trying a piece. And sure Darren was obviously as forgetful as he was romantic, but he was truly beautiful in his own little way. She had the greatest sister on the planet -who also couldn't seem to remember the importance of today, but neither could the love of her life, so Ronnie decided to let it slide. Maybe it just wasn't that important.

The meal had been fantastic, and they'd shared a pleasant conversation on shoes, vehicles, and why exactly Justin Bieber is a waste of oxygen. As typical as it was, how could she ask for more?

_Who am I kidding? _Ronnie thought dully to herself. Tonight hadn't really been remarkable or magical by any stretch of the imagination. As much as she adored her little family, this wasn't how she wanted to spend today.

_But it's over now. _She sighed as the waiter cleared away the empty plates. _There's always next year. _

But it was _this _year she was concerned about. Because now things were getting downright weird. Kade waved off the desert menu, which was slightly shocking. Darren kept checking his phone. Arrow kept running back and forth to the bathroom.

Ronnie tried to do the math...but couldn't quite find that answer she was looking for.

"What the hell is going on?" she snapped finally. "You're all acting like schizophreniacs. Spit it out."

"Ronn, before you fly off the handle-" Kade began.

"I AM SO SO SORRY!" Darren wailed suddenly. "WE TRIED TO MAKE IT SPECIAL WE TRIED SO HARD IT'S JUST THAT-"

Then Arrow clamped his hand down on Darren's mouth. Ronnie raised her hand to smack some sense into both of them-

And then the lights went out. The restaurant was pitch black.

"I...am...going...to...kill-"

"Shuddup Ron, and look to the right." Kade hissed.

She looked.

Coming from the direction of the door was a softly glowing light...it grew bigger and bigger as it approached them, accompanied by footsteps and what sounded like a grumbled mutter of 'abomination'.

"Charna's...TITS." Ronnie gasped. Was this really happening?

"I'm just suprised they got here in one piece." Darren mumbled under his breath.

Before Ronnie could shake him for answers, the singing began.

"HAAAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAAAAAY TO YOUU. HAAAPPYY BIRRRTHDAY DEEAARR RONNIIIIIE, HAAPPY BIRRRTHDAAY TOOOO YOUUUUU!"

"Annnnnd many moooore!" Paris harmonized wheezily.

And without any warning or expectation whatsoever, the chilly booth was suddenly full of Seba, Kurda, Mika, Arrow, Larten, and Harkat. And in the center...a massive chocolate cake coated in bright turquoise icing with 'WE LOVE YOU RONN!' in glittering pink icing.

"Happs, girrrlll!" Kurda chirped.

"Congratulations upon the date of your birth!" Paris glorified.

"Have a good one, lady. Don't party too hard." said Mika with a smirky grin, gently punching her in the arm.

"You...remembered." Ronnie gulped, more than slightly in shock.

"OF COURSE WE DID." the table chorused, more or less in synch.

"YOU MUST HAVE THOUGHT WE WERE TERRIBLE PEOPLE!" Darren moaned.

Ronnie petted his hair and wrapped him in a hug. To her slight dismay, the tears were starting to flow.

"I knew you were thinking we'd forgotten. I wanted to say something, Ronn. I swear! But I knew the suprise would be worth it." Kade added earnestly. "Agree?"

"Oh, twinner!" Ronnie gasped, hugging Kade with her spare arm. (The other was comforting Darren.) Kade returned the hug with traces of tears in her eyes.

"Umm kaay time for PRESSIES!" Kurda screeched, almost taking out Mika's ear drum.

"Dumbass, presents come AFTER cake." Mika snorted.

"Only if you have a complete lack of self-control." Larten sniffed.

"We will need...more plates." Harkat piped up.

"Don't worry, everyone grab a spoon or a fork and just have at it." Kade directed.

A decision was eventually reached that cake and presents could occur at the same time, so each Vampire lifted a wrapped package onto the table as they chipped away at the cake with whatever utensils they could find.

"Who's first?" Ronnie demanded with gleaming eyes. She couldn't hide the fact that presents were her absolute favourite part of this whole b-day deal.

"THIS ONE." Seba roared agressively, shoving a messily-wrapped rectangle down the table.

"That is from both of us." said Larten primly.

Ronnie eagerly ripped into it, revealing... a box of industrial-strength... banana wrappers.

Darren turned redder than Kade's martini.

"M-Mr C-C-Crepsley...h-h-how c-could you-u... P-P-P-Paris, I t-t-thought...you were...g-going to...pre-c-check...e-everything...b-before..it g-got...w-wr-wrapped."

"THIS WAS NOT MY IDEA! I BOUGHT A BOX OF EXPENSIVE CHOCOLATES AND GAVE THEM TO SEBA TO BE WRAPPED!" Larten spat, just as embarrassed as Darren.

"Calm down, he obviously just confused the boxes." Kade smirked.

"WHY WOULD SEBA HAVE A BOX OF CONDOMS?" Darren, Larten, and Ronnie screamed simultaneously.

"It is a fine gift!" Paris argued. "I see nothing wrong with it. It is a natural part of life!"

"I just want to know where my chocolates got to." Larten grumbled as an afterthought.

"Wait, guys. Maybe with all the vehicles and phones and TV channels and Wii games we sometimes forget what we are... Vampires no can make babies." Mika explained slowly and clearly.

"Right you are. Ahem." Larten blustered.

"AMEN!" Kade roared.

"SINCE WHEN?" Seba gasped.

Facepalms from everyone else.

"MOVING ON." Kade hollered, passing Ronnie a different box, which she eagerly opened.

"KE$HA TICKETS!" the blonde shrieked, waving the handful of paper in the air.

"Count them up." Kade urged wickedly.

"10. WE'RE ALL GOING TO KE$HA! I LOVE MY TWIN!"

Kurda fainted. Mika started crying - not from happiness. Harkat tilted his head to the side like a confused puppy.

"Ke$ha... she is the one with the raw meat dress?" Larten pondered.

"No, that's GaGa. Ke$ha's basically the same thing, minus the class." Paris corrected.

"What if I told you Lady GaGa isn't really a lady?" Kade interjected.

"Let's get moving here." Paris hustled, passing Ronnie another box.

"AN IPAD! NO WAY!" she screamed.

"Like an iTouch for old people!" Kade gushed.

"It is most certainly not." Paris grumbled.

"Name one difference, other than the size."

But Paris was spared from that one because Mika threw in his gift. Ronnie ripped off the shiny black paper to reveal...

"Ohhh MIKA. Since when are you a total GENIUS?"

He had given her...a pair of boots. Leather biker boots with spikey metal studs.

"I LOVE THEM!"

"I want them." Kade added, eyeing them.

"My turn!" Harkat interrupted.

"Thanks, Harkie! Oh this takes me back..." Ronnie grinned ecstatically, opening a framed picture: the one of the entire gang taken one second before Gannen-Santa revealed himself at Christmas. Pure classic, a memento of an unforgettable night.

Arrow was next. He tossed her a carelessly-wrapped package with TO RONN FROM ARR scribbled upon it. (He'd run out of room for all the letters.)

"Aww, Arr. Where'd ya find these?"

It was a lisence plate frame coated in pink, blue, and white gemstones...and matching rims for the tires.

"You should have your own reality show. 'PIMP MY RIDE: Arrow Edition'. This is perfect." she gave him a huge hug and a kiss on the cheek.

Two more to go:

"Ohhh KURDA. This is...INCREDIBLE!" she shrieked in joy when she opened his basket of makeup and hair products. "These are the most expensive kinds!"

"Blondes are worth it, babe!" Kurda replied in equal delight. It wasn't often someone opened a present from him, and actually liked it. "I personally tested EVERYTHING to make sure it was amazing."

"So THAT'S why it looks second-hand." Kade chuckled, examining a palette of blush with an indentation in the center.

Finally, it was the moment Ronnie had been counting down to.

Darren's turn.

His box was the smallest, wrapped in multicoloured paper. On closer investigation, Ronnie realized that it was actually made of tons of tiny pictures of Darren and her, all melded together in a collage then tied with a silver bow. She opened it carefully as if it was brain surgery, to reveal a velvet box, which she flipped open...

The most stunning ring she'd ever seen was staring up at her. It was slim and silver with a jaw-dropping teal stone in the center, shining the identical colour as her eyes.

"My promise to you." Darren whispered.

"Darren..." she gulped, eyes tearing up to the point where all the tissue-dabbing couldn't save them.

"I love you so so much, Veronica Dexter, and I always will."

"IS THAT A PROMISE RING?" Kade boomed, lurching over her shoulder to gawk at it.

"OMG IT IS IT IS!" Kurda squealed, shuddering in raptured bliss.

"PROMISE FOR WHAT?" Larten roared. His cry went ignored.

"Well done." said Arrow in a low voice, patting Darren on the shoulder with a wink.

"Yaaaay Ronnie!" Harkat wheezed.

"Hear hear! I propose a toast!" Paris added to the commotion.

"To that beeeautiful colour!" Kurda gasped.

"To how much that hurt Darren's wallet!" Mika smirked.

"PROMISE FOR WHAT?" Larten wailed.

"To the fact that it better fit." Darren muttered.

"TO THE FACT THAT IT'S A PERFECT FIT!" Ronnie cheered, slipping it on and pumping her fist into the air.

"To...Ronnie and Darren! And...Kade and Arrow!" Harkat contributed.

"To banana wrappers for all!" Seba put in.

"To the security guard who's coming over to kick us out!" Kade noted.

"To the fact that we scared all the other customers away an hour ago!" Paris smiled.

"TO SLICK RIDES!" Arrow bellowed, pointing out the window at the Escalade, the Hummer, and the pink Chevy standing parked side by side.

"Wait, how'd the Chevy get here? We all came in the Hummer! To me punching out the bastard who drove our truck without asking." Kade grunted.

"PROMISE FOR WHAT?" Larten whined loudly.

"To you looking in the ring box again." Darren whispered into Ronnie's ear as they trooped out to the parking lot.

She did so.

"Two plane tickets...to...LAS VEGA-"

"Shhhhh." Darren popped his hand over her mouth. "Note that there are only _two _tickets and I'd like to keep it that way...this time."

"Understood." Ronnie giggled blissfully.

"Perfect." Darren murmured, circling his arm around her small shoulders.

After a small silence, she asked,

"Kade and Arrow have tickets too, don't they?"

"Uh, yeah. Yeah they do."

"But it'll be just the four of us, right?"

"Absolutely. Just the four of us. For once."

"Just the four of us. What could be more perfect?" Ronnie smiled the most sincere smile she'd accomplished all evening as she stared into his starry eyes.

"I can think of one thing." Darren said slowly, leaning in for the final perfect kiss on an evening that had been perfectly imperfect in every possible inglorious way.

* * *

There you go, babe. That's the other half of my gift to you... I set us up to start our Vegas fic, so there's no going back now.

Yeeaw I know you're on ff-holiday right now, but everything will fall into place when it's ready, and it'll be perfect.

BESSTTFRRAAAND!

And even if you don't have the privelege of being SB1 I hope you enjoyed this fic, and you are more than welcome to drop a review :)

RXP


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